tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056422549016744520.post1967795116184181510..comments2018-08-10T14:10:05.492-04:00Comments on Sprachgefuhl: "most important," or "most importantly"?Jonathan Ricknoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056422549016744520.post-1284929860108378112011-09-27T11:22:38.894-04:002011-09-27T11:22:38.894-04:00You are right. I totally agree with you.You are right. I totally agree with you.Alexanderhttp://whatespresso.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056422549016744520.post-2661762957307622762011-09-05T21:18:24.083-04:002011-09-05T21:18:24.083-04:00As a writer, I continue to use &quot;more importan...As a writer, I continue to use &quot;more important&quot; as shorthand for &quot;[what&#39;s] more important.&quot; But as Chicago notes, sometimes in being right we invite &quot;correction&quot; from readers or editors who are less literate. I needn&#39;t remind you how often this happens when a skilled writer finds himself edited by government functionaries. Only recently, one of my numerous editors corrected &quot;mother lode&quot; to &quot;motherload.&quot;<br /><br />That said, we must concede that in both written and spoken English, an adverb or adverbial phrase will sometimes modify an entire clause or nothing at all. Consider &quot;Honestly, what were you thinking?&quot; and &quot;Frankly, my dear, I don&#39;t give a damn.&quot; <br /><br />Chicago joins a chorus of style authorities that bid use to make room for &quot;more importantly.&quot; As a writer, I&#39;ll stick with &quot;more important.&quot; But as an editor, I&#39;ll increasingly give &quot;more importantly&quot; a pass.Paul Franklin Stregevskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03752848001925223250noreply@blogger.com